Instruction runs for about two hours, then everyone sits down to a self-made dinner party!  Dinner will be served with a vegan craft beer or other beverage for non beer drinkers.

Hess is San Diego’s first licensed nano-brewery, brewing in small hand-crafted batches, 1.6 barrels at a time. Lucky for all of us, they are in the process of moving into a much larger facility right here in North Park, where they’ll be able to brew 20 times as much beer every day (whew!)  That’s still really small, but big enough that we can all get a taste of it once in a while. It may be no surprise to you though that these little batches of beer they make can pack a HUGE punch, as you can see by the strength of the beers Chef Tommy selected to work with!

Amplus Acerba: San Diego Pale Ale (aka Triple IPA), 11.6% ABV
paired with a Pear Salad with watercress, pear puree, apple cider vinaigrette, truffle honey, Pt. Reyes blue cheese and candied walnuts

Ex Umbris: Rye Imperial Stout, 9.8% ABV
paired with Oyster Ceviche with cucumber, serrano, cilantro, cherry tomato, radish, lemon juice, olive oil, ghost salt and red onion

Of course beer tasting would not be nearly as much fun without other people to do it with, so we invited Michael Skubic, Hess Brewing Tasting Room Manager, to hang with us and chat with you about these and other beer styles they make.  So get on the bus, come say hello, and enjoy a pour of these high-strength, local craft brews that have yet to be tapped in many places other than the Hess tasting room itself!

We plan to offer the following:

Smoked Endless Summer Oyster Roll with House-Made Kimchee BBQ Sauce

Beef Heart Roll with BBQ Sauce and Seasonal Veggies

Grilled Vegetable Roll with Zucchini, Red Onion, and Asparagus

MENU

Beet & Jicama Salad

Baja Diver Shrimp Alfredo with Asparagus and Spinach

Strawberry Bread Pudding with Chocolate Sauce and Vanilla Chantilly

Reservations can be made by calling 619-255-7049 or clicking on the Reservations link above.  Cheers!

This Saturday commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is NOT Mexican Independence Day contrary to the degree to which the 5th of May is celebrated (I know this for a fact because I am well-versed at using google search) but nonetheless it gives people across our nation a reason to get together, eat, drink, and in our case, wack the heck out of a pinata!  We’ll have one strung up for you this Saturday and when it seems like the most number of guests are here that will be coming in (probably between 8-9pm), we’ll give everyone a chance to get the candy out!

Until then, you can enjoy some of the menu specials that Chef Tommy has in store.:

Braised Beef Heart Tacos (during Happy Hour only)
Sea Rocket Chili Rellenos
Beef Heart Enchiladas
Dulche de Leche Bread Pudding “Churros”

Owner Jeff Silver and Brewer Anthony Tallman will be hanging out with us at the Rocket from 6pm on, guest bartending, introducing their beers to you, and enjoying some of the beer-apropos culinary pairings that Chef Tommy will create.  Rough Draft, San Diego’s newest microbrewery (at least for the next few hours), is delivering tasty handcrafted styles full of flavor, body, and balance (see below for more details).  Come give them a try, along with some special one-night-only menu pairings.  Each pairing will run between $12-$15.  Reservations are being accepted at 619-255-7049 or feel free to just stop in to the bar!

THE PAIRINGS

Belgian-Style Blond Ale
paired with Pan-Seared Pacific Halibut, green beans, mushrooms, house-made kimchee, and kimchee BBQ sauce

What the Ale? Pale Ale
paired with Fish Sausage Mini Dogs and a Pale Ale-Dijon mustard sauce

Amber Ale
Oyster & Sea Urchin Shooters in the half shell with yuzu-jalapeno-wasabi dressing

ABOUT THE BEERS

What the Ale? Pale Ale (5.9% ABV)
Rich in taste and bold in personality, this American Pale Ale is the gift that keeps on giving. American hops on the nose. Clean citrus esters. Pleasantly hoppy.

Belgian-style Blond (6.2% ABV)
Attractively light and subtly sweet, this full-bodied beauty is one that you’ll want to revisit time and time again. Sweet, floral, notes of honey. Lightly fruity with a touch of spice from traditional trappist yeast. Finishes Dry.

Amber Ale (7.5% ABV)
Well-balanced, full-flavored and pleasant to be around. Just like you. Malt-forward. Roasty with hints of caramel and chocolate. Full body. Balanced profile with delayed hop on the finish.

We are thrilled to report big success with our recent Farm Dinner benefiting Seeds @ City!  We were able to write a check for $360, which will go to City College in support of their working/learning urban campus farm and associated programs.  Thanks to everyone who came out and supported them through our special menu.

The Roast Coach pour over coffee is operating in front of the bistro six days a week.  If you haven’t had a cup of this Joe yet, come pay Jenna and Salpi a visit on your next morning commute and see what it’s all about.  Salpi’s aebelskivers will become your favorite morning snack!

Chef Tommy Fraioli has been on fire lately, having used the last couple of months to settle into his new role and consider his next moves.  We’ve been slowly revamping our Spring Menu so that you continue to see all of your favorite things but get a chance to try some fresh new preparations.  Here’s one of his newest creations- an Octopus Salad.  Look for it on the menu (or as a special) next time you come by!

Did you know it’s Sustainable Seafood Week?  And that Sunday the 22nd is Earth Day?  Now you know that you can celebrate sustainable seafood any night of the week, any night of the year at Sea Rocket, but if you like an extra incentive to get out and support those restaurants and organizations making the effort to do the right thing, you may want to join us on Saturday, April 26th at this year’s San Diego Ocean’s Foundation Gala at Sea World, where Chef Tommy Fraioli will be serving up some Baja Diver Scallops along with the other great food and drink.  Find out more and buy tickets here.

The next 12 Signs Wine we’ll be featuring will be the Taurus Cabernet Sauvignon, and our $2 per glass discount will apply to all Tauruses from April 20th through May 20th.  Just show your server your ID when you order it!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Since April is more than half over, most of these events occur in the first part of May- afterall, we want to give you enough time to plan for them!  May will be chock full of special events, especially considering that our 4 Year Anniversary is coming up at the end of the month.  Mark your calendars now for our official anniversary party on Thursday, May 31st, and look forward to enjoying some of your favorite recipes from our archives all weekend long.

Italian Language Movie Night, 4/22
We’ll be showing the Italian film Mediterraneo this Sunday, April 22nd for anyone who would like to join.  Whether you speak Italian already, are interested in learning, or just enjoy fun, award-winning films, you are welcome to join us along with local Italian language instructor Marina Bezzati as she and some of her current students come together to practice speaking and share a little Italian culture via cinematography.  We will offer a $25 prix fixe menu in addition to our regular menu for anyone interested.

Rough Draft Meet the Brewer DrinkAbout, 5/2
There will be an extra DrinkAbout bus running on Wednesday, May 2nd while the craft Brewing Conference is in town.  As usual, it will be open to anyone who would like to catch a free ride between our local beer bars, and you’ll get a chance to meet some commercial craft beer brewers from out of town while you’re at it.  At Sea Rocket, we’ll be hosing a special Meet the Brewer night with one of the newest breweries on the San Diego scene- Rough Draft Brewing.  We’ll feature three of their brews on draft with three special pairings, and Jeff Silver plus one of their brewmasters will be with us for the night to meet you!

Cinco de Mayo Specials, 5/5
Here are the menu specials Chef Tommy has in store to help you celebrate Cinco de Mayo next weekend!
Braised Beef Heart Tacos (during Happy Hour only)
Sea Rocket Chili Rellenos
Beef Heart Enchiladas
Dulche de Leche Bread Pudding “Churros”

PubCakes Game Night Fundraiser, 5/9
Help us help Misty Birchall of PubCakes stay in business and move her shop to a larger and more convenient location!  We’ll be hosting a fun night of games, guest bartending, raffles, and of course PubCakes on Wednesday, May 9th to help her achieve her fundraising goal.

Literary Trivia Night, 5/10
Got a lot of useless knowledge?  (Just kidding!)  Have interest in literary factoids?  Bring it to round two of San Diego Writers, Ink Trivia Night hosted by yours truly in the front room from 7-10pm Thursday, May 10th.  Use it or lose it!

Salsa Sushi #5, 5/17
Our unique salsa sushi concept, brainchild of Ms. Boulevard Beryl Forman, returns in May for the first time in 2012, and this time the “Latin Flavor/Japanese Flair” event will feature BBQ oyster rolls, available starting at 6pm.  More details will follow on our blog soon!

North Park Festival of the Arts, 5/20
Don’t miss the Annual North Park Festival of Arts on Saturday, May 20th.  Enjoy live music, dancers and other performers throughout the day.  Sea Rocket will be representing in the Craft Beer Block from 11am-6pm.  Get more details and join on facebook here!

Vegan Mexican Cooking Class with Chef Jenn, 5/26
On Saturday, May 26th from 3-6pm our favorite culinary instructor Jenn Felmley will be back to walk you through some fun Mexican-inspired vegan recipes, including Mexican Red Rice, Hand Mashed Pinto Beans, Summer Squash Tostadas with Salsa, Avocado and Cilantro Sauce, and Sweet Tamales.  The class is about halfway full already, so please call Jenn at 858-212-9138 soon to reserve a seat at the table.

Whether you speak Italian (yet) or not, come join us for an Italian Language Movie Night on Sunday, April 22nd.  Tax season will be behind us, spring will have sprung, and there will be romance in the air (or at least there will be on this particular night) when local Italian language instructor Marina Bezzati of Italiano per Tutti hosts dinner and a movie at the Rocket!

The movie shown will be the 1992 Academy Award winning Mediterraneo, a wartime action/love story about Italian soldiers deserted on a Greek island.  Here is a New York Times review, and here is a trailer!

We’ll also be offering a killer deal on a 3-course prix fixe menu for just $25 (Choice of Soup or Salad, Choice of Market Fish, Fisherman’s Stew, or Vegetable Gnocchi, and Choice of Gelato or Sorbetto), available only to movie watchers.  Of course the rest of our menu will be available as well.  So call, make a reservation, and look forward to saying “Ciao!” to all of your fellow Italian language lovers.  Oh, and if you’re serious about wanting to learn, let Marina know and she can sign you up for one of her private or group classes!

Buona Notte a Tutti!

On Wednesday, May 9th from 7-10pm, we’ll be hosting a game night fundraiser for our friend Misty Birchall, the genius behind the local bakery PubCakes, where every cake is made with a local craft beer!  Pubcakes needs to expand into larger quarters, which would include getting an alcohol license in order to serve beer pairings with their cupcakes- duh!  We want to see them continue making amazing sweets, support the community, and thrive so we’re throwing a party with Misty to help raise money.

Here’s how it will work.  Show up anytime between 7-10pm.  We’ll have various game tables set up in the front room where you can pay-to-play for a nominal amount.  Misty and her partner Kaitlin will be guest bartending (and keeping all of their tips for their business).  We’ll also be selling their cupcakes at the restaurant that night, letting them keep all of the proceeds, and we’ll hold a raffle as well where you could win a gift certificate for either Sea Rocket or PubCakes.  So come join the games, have a pint and a cake, and if you like, you can even make on-the-spot donations to their fundraising efforts on-line.

No reservations required (or taken) for this event- just show up and have some fun with us!

PAST EVENTS & NEWS

Fun Fact: Elena is featured in this month’s West Coaster Magazine Ladies of Local Beer Issue (page 12)!  What an honor, thanks guys!

Chef Tommy’s St. Paddy’s Day Corned Swordfish & Cabbage was the subject of a recent San Diego Foodstuffs article.

We hosted our first Vegan Cooking Class of 2012 with Culinary Instructor Chef Jenn Felmley last week.  The next class will feature Mexican Fiesta themed recipes (vegan again) and is scheduled for Saturday, May 26th from 3-6pm  It’s never too soon to make reservations, which can be done by calling or e-mailing Jenn at jlfelm@yahoo.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wine of the Sign
From March 21st through April 19th we’ll be featuring the 12 Signs Wine Zinfandel, with $2 OFF per glass for all Aries!  Just show your ID to your server to claim your discount as many times as you like during this zodiac month.

Roast Coach Grand Opening Party & BBQed Oysters, Sunday, March 25th
We’ll be hosting a grand opening party for the new pour over coffee cart called the Roast Coach, run by Rocketeers Jenna & Salpi, who’ve brought a popular coffee style from the bay area down to our neck of the woods.  Sourcing coffee from local roasters and using a beautiful cart crafted by local artisans, the Roast Coach shares Sea Rocket’s mission to serve only the highest quality ingredients.  They’re open in front of the restaurant 5-6 mornings a week barring bad weather.

Lead the Way Night, Tuesday March 27th
Did you know that hundreds of thousands of Americans are living with the HIV virus and don’t even know that they have it and are continuing to spread it?  That’s a scary thought!  Learn about a local HIV awareness & testing group called Lead the Way, whose goal is to get every adult in the 92103 and 92104 zip codes tested in order to help stop the epidemic, as well as research the attitudes and barriers to testing.  To this end, they actually offer FREE TESTING via a roaming testing truck for anyone willing, and for those not willing, they appreciate your answer to a quick survey.  Come in on Tuesday, March 27th to learn more about this ambitious organization and find out where you can get tested around town.  Then, reward yourself with some $1 Raw Oysters!

Mission Valley Craft Beer Festival, Sunday, April 1st
Chef Tommy and Elena will be at this beer festival with some brewtastic local eats to accompany your craft libations.  Don’t miss out…get your tickets here!

Seeds at City Urban Farm Dinner, Thursday, April 5th
Chef Tommy has created a vegetarian menu featuring 80% produce from San Diego City College’s Seeds @ City Urban Farm for a fundraiser to help support their Urban Agriculture program.  $10 from every meal will go straight to Seeds, and additional donations will be accepted if you would like to contribute even more.  Click here for the menu details.  Menu is available as a prix fixe only but our regular menu and full drink list will also be available.  We’ll have a special Meet the Farmer communal seating at 7pm in the front room.  Otherwise reservations can be made at any time as usual.

And before our fundraising dinner, join Slow Food Urban San Diego for a day at the farm this Saturday, March 24th from 8am-Noon.  Get your hands in the dirt and acquire a little free farm education from Head Farmer, Paul Maschka.

Italian Language Movie Night, Sunday, April 22nd
We’ll be showing the Italian film “Mediterraneo” and offering a 3-Course Prix Fixe Menu option for just $25 in conjunction with local Italian language instructor Marina Bezzati of Italiano per Tutti.  Whether you speak the language or not, you are welcome to join Marina and some of her current students for dinner, wonderful movie, and some Italian-style socializing.  If you do speak Italian, or would like to learn, come practice your skills or find out to take advantage of her lessons.